Friday, March 21, 2008

Yesterday I caught up on this lengthy MNPublius comments thread, which was set in motion by the Iraq War anniversary statements issued by both campaigns. If one were strategizing for Terri Bonoff it still seems an unusual issue choice on which to go after an Iraq War veteran. And to be honest, I've never really gotten the sense that Terri Bonoff is someone with a deep and longstanding interest in foreign policy matters. (Has anyone been so convinced? Commenters?)

Terri Bonoff has every right to continue pursuing this nomination right up to April 12; after that, I think DFLers are hoping against a contested DFL primary.

This evening one also noted this Madia-Bonoff flurry. I observed this process at fairly close range--speaking with people on both sides, over a considerable period of time. I occasionally observed overzealousness on the part of both candidates' supporters. But in Terri's contribution to this exchange, she writes:

As someone who has run and won twice in this district, I know first-hand about negative smear campaigns. Even in this campaign, supporters of my opponent have consistently waged whisper campaigns against me and I have not engaged.

Terri, we didn't get to where we are now as a result of any Madia smear campaign. Among the declared democratically-elected CD3 delegates, Madia is now winning 81.5 to 36 [subtracting the superdelegates from MNCR's scoring here]. Cheap shots have played a rather minor role in this competition; by my lights, about 50% of the cheap shots were pointing in each direction. (I don't recall any major Madia supporter attempting to make hay out of something you wrote more than a decade ago, for example.) And I say this as a person who very much wanted the endorsement myself (until Dec. 4, 2007) and learned the hard way that I didn't have what it took to compete politically in Terri Bonoff's league [nor was it close]. The process that got Ashwin Madia where he is today has been an upright process. Politics doesn't get much fairer than the one we have observed in Minnesota's Third Congressional District this past winter.

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I'm a bit uncomfortable with Senator Bonoff's response. Madia's statement doesn't directly accuse Bonoff supporters, but she seems pretty eager to point the finger at his supporters. She then goes on to basically say "get used to it". I guess being in the same party doesn't count for much anymore.

Anyway, what has the whisper campaign against Senator Bonoff consisted of? I've seen the attacks on Madia over in the comments at MNPublius, but I don't recall any particular anti-Bonoff theme. The closest I can think of were some questions about her actual business experience, but that's it. Anyone?

Actually there is negative stuff out there about Terri. But, trust me, it's not a whisper campaign. It's been said directly to her and to anyone who asks. It is not from Madia and predated his entry into the race. Some of it comes from comments Terri has directly said to people in her "persuasion" calls, too.

First off: Terri's sole authorship of the Fetal Remains Legislation (bill 1739) and the 6 stories told about it by Terri and her supporters so far. Just last week she removed her name from this legislation (after questioning by many for literally months) and turned it directly over to a member of the GOP with the MCCL. This predates Madia entering the race and is the reason many will never, under any circumstance vote for Terri Bonoff. It isn't just the legislation and her failure to understand the implications of it but it is how she handled the legislation and the spinning of it.

Secondly, when Terri called many of us in attempting to persuade us to support her she directly and openly told us that "Ash had never had a job and that we had to concern ourselves with e-lec-ta-bil-ity". As a veteran, I can tell you it wasn't a picnic serving in the US Army and I can't imagine that serving in the US Marines is any easier (ha!). It sure as hell felt like a job. Also, I can surmise that RKMC would be quite surprised that they were paying Ash to practice law and yet according to Terri he wasn't working there either.

The smears and lies have been coming from Terri. Period. I've never heard Ash nor any of his staff even mention her negatively. Supporters, on the other hand, are not happy with Terri because of things Terri has done and things Terri has said. These do not qualify as a whisper campaign and do not come from Madia's camp. They are from Terri herself.